February 2023 eWriteabout Newsletter

Where writers come
together to create.

eWriteabout
February 2023

The Gold Coast Writers' Association is a not-for-profit organisation.

Our mission is to encourage and support writers from all genres, age groups, and levels of experience, to grow, learn, and excel in their craft. We meet each 3rd Saturday of the month. Our website has all the details.

GCWA newsletter February 2023

Hi Writers!

I'm not a fan of having my photo taken. Surprising for an extrovert, I know. But like it or not, becoming visible is part of the deal for authors. It was important to me that I look 'like myself.' I've heard horror stories of authors using an old photo to advertise events. It might be flattering for the ego but it invariably leads to confusion and, in some cases, disappointment. Imagine being turned away from your own book signing because they don't know who you are!

I actually had fun having this photo taken, thanks to Angela and David Photography who generously donated their time, patience, and abundant energy at the January GCWA event to capture us in all our writerly glory. Just one of the perks of membership of the GCWA. Writing can be such a lonely pursuit at times it's a pleasure to be part of this vibrant group.

Christine Betts
Newsletter Editor

President's Report

Hello everyone, and welcome to February!

We have officially kicked off for 2023, and had a fantastic first meeting of the year. Our January guest speaker was Harry Colfer, a Critical Care Paramedic with nearly twenty years’ on-road experience gained in both England and Australia. In his presentation, From Emergency to eBook, Harry explained how he uses his real-life experiences to create stories, fictionalising events to avoid confidentiality issues and creating believable characters.

I then presented my Harnessing Your 2023 Goals workshop, sharing the productivity tools and tips that have been integral to my success as an author, including 30 & 90 Day Plans to track achievements.

Our guest speaker for February is American screenwriter and film producer Marc Rosenberg, who will talk about what makes screenwriting a unique form of writing. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from an industry insider with an impressive list of feature film credits.

We are also delighted to welcome author and Rainforest Writing Retreat co-host, Charmaine Clancy, who will present a workshop about the different aspects of the Romance genre, and how the theme can be incorporated into various other genres.

Our February meeting will be at Mudgeeraba Community Centre, Saturday 18th February, 12 noon - 3pm. We hope to see you there.

Our first Write & Sip fundraising event for 2023 is on at Whisky Lounge Mudgeeraba on Wednesday the 15th of February. A twist on the Paint and Sip concept, Write and Sip is a fun interactive session where participants learn to write a Flash Fiction story.

This year, I am excited to announce that we are making tickets half price for our GCWA members and all proceeds of Write and Sip go to the GCWA to support writers. To purchase tickets, see the ‘Write & Sip’ advertisement below. We hope you will join us for what is sure to be a fun literary evening in a beautiful local venue!

Writing Fridays has kicked off again at Elanora Library 10am-3pm every Friday (excluding public holidays). Writers at all stages of their creative journey are welcome to come together to enjoy dedicated writing time, guided by the Pomodoro Technique. For more information, click here: Writing Fridays at Elanora Library

Kate Kelsen

President
Create, Inspire, Connect.

The GCWA February Meeting

Saturday
18 February 2023
at
Mudgeeraba Community Centre, Firth Park, Somerset Dr, Mudgeeraba

Time: 12pm to 3pm.

Members and visitors are encouraged to arrive 10-15 minutes early to complete the entry process so we can start on time. If you have flu-like symptoms, please stay at home and get better quickly.

Entry prices are: Members: $5.00 (EFTPOS payment preferred, although cash is acceptable)
Visitors: $10.00 (EFTPOS payment preferred, although cash is accepted)

Order of Events from 12pm

12:00 Start
12:05 Opening and News
12:15 Speaker: Marc Rosenberg Screenwriter
13:00 Afternoon Tea: Refreshments provided or BYO
13:45 Workshop: Charmaine Clancy on Romance
15:00 Close

Screenwriter and producer, Marc Rosenberg, will speak about what makes screenwriting a unique form of writing.

An American, Marc Rosenberg has worked in Australia and the U.S. as a screenwriter and film producer for over thirty years. He’s written seven feature films and over 30 hours of television. His film credits include Heatwave with director Phillip Noyce, Raven’s Gate and Dingo with director Rolf de Heer and December Boys, starring Daniel Radcliffe. Rosenberg has won the prestigious Australian Writers’ Guild Award twice, the NSW Premier’s Literary Award and the U.S. Fade-In Screenwriting Award.

Rosenberg has been the Director of Education at two film schools in Sydney and taught screenwriting in the U.S., China and India. He’s written the instructional book, The Screenplay Tree, distributed worldwide, and contributes to the periodical, Film International.

Qualifications:

Masters Degree in Creative Arts, Film Adaptation University of Technology, Sydney
Bachelor of Arts, Government and English, The University of Texas, Austin
‘Writer-in-Residence’ Australian Film, Television and Radio School (Screenwriting)

Charmaine Clancy is an award-winning Australian author and educator. Charmaine's workshop will cover the many and varied forms of the romance genre.

Her works include novels for kids and teens, including the best-selling, My Zombie Dog. Charmaine also writes short stories for grown-ups and is published in various anthologies.

Charmaine is very passionate about helping students who have struggled with literacy and inspires them to create their own stories they can be proud of. As well as teaching at high school, Charmaine presents holiday writing workshops for children of all ages and hosts the annual Rainforest Writing Retreat for grown-up writers.

All her books are written with humour and dogs. Life is better with both. You can find Charmaine at charmaineclancy.com

We are excited to announce our first Write & Sip fundraising event for 2023, returning to Whisky Lounge Mudgeeraba in February.

A twist on the Paint and Sip concept, Write and Sip is a fun and interactive session where participants learn to write a Flash Fiction story.

Where: Whisky Lounge Mudgeeraba
When: Wednesday 15th February 2023
Time: Start 7pm

GCWA Members Tickets: $20 - Members please email gcwa.news@gmail.com for payment details

Non-Members Tickets: $39 Book now

Ticket includes Beer/Basic Spirit/Glass of wine on entry, Nibbles, and 2+ hours of writing fun. Nibbles will include crackers, dips, cheeses, veges, etc and a dessert plate of assorted sweet items. There is a Pizza Capers/Chinese restaurant located opposite the venue if participants want something more substantial.

All proceeds from the night will support the GCWA in assisting writers from all genres, age groups, and levels of writing to grow, learn, and excel in their craft. We hope you will join us for what is sure to be a fantastic literary evening in a beautiful local venue! Like the GCWA Facebook page for more details.

Angela and David Photography believe every image is its own unique story, a moment in time, consisting of both large and small emotions which are shared between all present, employing technical expertise, years of experience, a flexible approach, excellent communication skills, teamwork with our clients and an affordable rate.

Angela and David Photography act within a social justice, inclusion, and equality-based framework and have a solid ethical framework within their business and share those values with their partners. They strive to capture creative, high-quality images that draw attention to the natural actions and responses of the participants as well as, brand, personal and event awareness with our images.

Angela and David volunteered their time to create author images for 16 of our lucky members. Contact Angela and David on on 0487921064 or head to their website to enquire about their packages.

Congratulations to GCWA member Kellie Cox who received the GCWA Achievement Award for 2022.
Kellie is a tireless advocate for the writing community on the Gold Coast. The former association Vice-President (2021) and President (2022) is the author of five books and graduate of the Fiona McIntosh Commercial Fiction Masterclass.
In 2022, Kellie forged and strengthened relationships with Somerset Storyfest, the Queensland Writers Centre, and other Queensland writing groups. She created many opportunities for GCWA members, won the Gladstone Area Writers Group short story competition, and was a judge for the GCWA short story competition. A much deserved accolade for a wonderful writer and marvelous human being!

What's On at the Gold Coast Writers' Association

Writing Fridays at Elanora Library

All writers welcome
Every Friday 10-3pm
Book now

Gold Coast Libraries, Queensland Writers Centre, and Gold Coast Writers' Association have teamed up to offer Gold Coast writers a space to cultivate their habit of writing and connect with other writers in the community.

Following the Pomodoro Technique, Writing Fridays is a free, volunteer-led program for local writers at all levels.

Check the GCWA Facebook page for updates.
GCCC Library website - Helensvale Library

Each month the Gold Coast Libraries offer brilliant workshops and author talks.

Congratulations to GCWA member Jane O'Connell on the publication of her debut novel, Cold Against the Glass.

In this contemporary story set in Sydney, artist and forager Florence Lane discovers a collection of forgotten human specimens languishing in a city museum. One of the specimens, an unidentified baby, captivates Florence and she sets out to track down the baby’s parents. Who are they? Why did they donate their baby to science? Why have they never claimed her?

Fun fact: Jane wrote several of the scenes in a pathology museum surrounded by hundreds of human specimens!

Cold Against the Glass is available worldwide in print and ebook, details at Jane's Linktree

Writing Sunday - 19 February 2023, 10am – 3pm at Southport Library, Corner Garden and Lawson Streets, Southport.

If you can't make it to Elanora for Writing Friday, Writing Sunday might be for you! Writing Sunday is a volunteer led space for writers of all levels to come and work on their own projects. This is a great chance for busy weekday people to connect with your local writing community and finish writing your story.

Writing Sundays is a Queensland Writers centre initiative, following the Pomodoro Technique of 25-minute blocks and 5-minute breaks. Every third 'Pomodoro', there is a 15-minute break to relax and recharge, while having a lunch break too. The idea behind the method is to train the mind into working effectively to reach smaller targets, improving the overall writing time and productivity.

Writing Sunday is every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. Book now or drop in on the day.

Discover a debut author: Michelle Upton Wednesday, 15 February 2023, 6.30 – 7.30pmat Broadbeach Library, 61 Sunshine Boulevard, Mermaid Waters

Exciting new voice in Australian fiction Michelle Upton is in conversation to talk about her debut novel, Terms of Inheritance.

Book lovers, avid readers, emerging writers and book clubbers are invited to join us for an evening of great book chat, and the chance to hear from a new author and discover more about her writing journey. Book now.

Writers' Block - Travel & Lifestyle writing with Vicki Bennett on Saturday, 4 March 2023, 10am – 12.15pm at Elanora Library, The Pines Shopping Centre, Guineas Creek Road, Elanora.

Expand your literary horizons and learn the art of documenting your travels in style with Vicki Bennett. Explore forms of lifestyle writing including blogging, journaling and more, and find out how to engage your readers with stories of your travels.

Vicki Bennett is a bestselling author of 34 books for adults and young people. Most of her books are internationally successful and have been published in numerous languages.

So bring your writing tools, and be prepared to learn and enjoy a great workshop. Book now.

Women who Write - Wednesday, 8 March 2023, 6 – 8.30pm at Broadbeach Library, 61 Sunshine Boulevard, Mermaid Waters

This International Women's Day we are celebrating great female storytellers and the power of sharing stories. GC Libraries have lined up a panel of some of Australia’s best storytellers and authors - Holly Wainwright, Dami Im and Dinuka McKenzie.

The art of storytelling is a skill, and each story is unique. Stories have the ability to bring people together and offers connection to even the most diverse groups of people. Stories can come in different shapes and forms, and we have a panel of prominent female authors who have different writing styles and share use the power of storytelling in different ways. Book now.

Support your local Independent book store. GCWA MEMBERS - Mention your membership at Big B Books in Burleigh Heads to receive 10% off books.

SAVE THE DATE for SOMERSET STORYFEST 2023
28, 29, 30 MARCH 2023

“…a festival of storytelling for the whole family."

Following in the footsteps of literary tradition, Storyfest is the writers’ festival for the Gold Coast, the cornerstone of which is its annual three day event held in March.

Offering over 130 events to the wider community, Storyfest has secured its place on the Gold Coast’s cultural calendar! Read more...

The GCWA will present a Write and Sip event in partnership with Somerset Storyfest at The Brooklyn Wine and Tapas Bar in Varsity Lakes, Wednesday 29 March 2023, 05:30 PM See you there! Book now.

Genrecon 2023

18-19 FEBRUARY 2023 | BRISBANE | QUEENSLAND WRITERS CENTRE

GenreCon is the leading conference for genre writers.

Find your writing tribe at the 8th GenreCon genre writers’ conference, the largest conference in the southern hemisphere dedicated to genre writers. GenreCon 2023: Forbidden Doors features keynote speaker, Garth Nix – genre fiction legend – and Patron, Nalini Singh – international bestselling author.

This is your chance to start your writing year in the best way possible. Take inspiration from our line-up of leading names in Australian and International genre fiction across a spectacular weekend of panels, workshops and special events.

GenreCon is delivered as an initiative of Queensland Writers Centre.